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Post by michael on Sept 29, 2015 13:35:28 GMT 1
Thinking back maybe 25 years, as a member of the ZZOC of Wellington, we used to have fairly regular club outings, maybe once a month. As the cars are getting older , some of them get a bit rougher too. There's always ONE in every club who's on a bit of a power trip and wants to spoil things for everyone else. So the new idea was that cars had to be up to a certain standard otherwise they were't welcome at club outings........that was the idea of one and only 1 person but they managed to get the idea accepted. Guess what that did to the club? As it was it was only a small club with maybe 10 or 15 regular members. I Googled and could only find an entry on Facebook which suggests the club folded! I was on another forum that moved to Facebook. As I do not do Facebook I left as did many others. I did see the Facebook site a while later (courtesy of a Facebook user) and it seemed little more than a few non-entities talking amongst themselves and if there was anything useful I doubt you could find it!
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Post by colin on Sept 30, 2015 14:25:35 GMT 1
Maybe a "Let that be a warning to other Clubs" syndrome, as it would appear in the case of our Club although there are quite a few spanking good cars in our Club, it also runs that there are a lot of standing, rolling restorations and the like in our Club and it would be a shame to put a damper on it and demonise somebody who may not have the skills or funds or the time for that matter to have a show winner on their hands, personally I've got one nice one and one that's been on axle stands for 5 years now! Lets keep the rough ones as they can be an inspiration to others "to get there", or so to speak....I'm starting to go on and on etc.......shut up while I can.......!
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Post by Joe on Sept 30, 2015 22:20:20 GMT 1
Maybe a "Let that be a warning to other Clubs" syndrome, as it would appear in the case of our Club although there are quite a few spanking good cars in our Club, it also runs that there are a lot of standing, rolling restorations and the like in our Club and it would be a shame to put a damper on it and demonise somebody who may not have the skills or funds or the time for that matter to have a show winner on their hands, personally I've got one nice one and one that's been on axle stands for 5 years now! Lets keep the rough ones as they can be an inspiration to others "to get there", or so to speak....I'm starting to go on and on etc.......shut up while I can.......! As far as the condition of our cars is concerned I had this thought the other day The Mk3 Zs were new cars for five years, they were used cars for another five years then they were "the bad boys cars" for years before they became the collector cars that they are now. Yes it's nice to see some restored showroom condition cars but a lot spent most of thier lives as hacks, as mini cabs, as hot rods, as old bangers and all these are as much a part of Mk3 history as a "new one" So which car is more authentic? The restored to factory (or preserved original) Or the seventies style with, incorrect MK4 hubcaps, mag wheels and "period panel gap under the bonnet
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Post by cardaft on Oct 1, 2015 11:27:05 GMT 1
As a matter of personal preference I don't attend club meetings or take any of my cars to classic car shows. Back in the day,when TRs were cheap cars ,you could always tell a TR owner with the ingrained oil in the hands, lost count of the number of owners who helped me(engine changes Sunday night, for work Monday morning) and who I helped,things seemed to change in the 80s,when they was a surge in value,differerant type of owner,lot of talk of value and professional restorations,I liked the old idea of enthusiasts running around in their project, a lot of the time that was their only transport,it doesn't have to be pretty,just legal,patchwork paint acceptable,but after a time ,if the car was not 'presentably' it was obviously not welcome, I just left the club.Tried again when my misses joined a VW club,we went along to a few local meets,didn't work out.Same with Shows,taken along a car,met some great people but you always get the 'expert' who talks ba##ocks and someone who has kids ,sometimes not,who have paid to get in, therefore the cars are part of the entertainment,no problem with that,but you cannot sit in them or use them as a climbing frame,or remove bits for souvenirs!!So the very few shows I attend now, without a car, I walk around,mouth shut (usually), eyes open, if I see something nice I say so.Still love listening to the 'experts' though? dr
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Post by Eddie on Oct 1, 2015 23:16:37 GMT 1
Still love listening to the 'experts' though? dr So do I. Especially the ones who know more than me about my car which I have owned for over 30 years. Had a very interesting conversation with a gentleman at a show a few years back who sought to convince me that my Zodiac was in fact a Zephyr 6 - because it had 4 headlamps. When I pointed out that it said "ZODIAC" in gold letters on the bonnet he said that someone had obviously put a Zodiac bonnet on a Zephyr 6, and that if it really was a Zodiac it would have fog and spot lamps.
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Post by cardaft on Oct 2, 2015 8:50:41 GMT 1
Your right,have met lots of interesting people.One that comes to mind, I was going through my Jaguar phase and I had a really nice 1966 S Type Jag,I was out looking for an XK8,came back with the S Type (car was written off by an engine fire caused by a shorted out brake pressure switch igniting the brake fluid!!,that and the subsequent insurance claim debacel, is worth a story or two in itself)anyway I was parked up at a show and I noticed this old chap looking around the car,he correctly identified the car as a CKD car,the car had been imported from South Africa,so when it was sent there ,it was in kit form,hence the Completely Knocked Down tag,how he knew this I never found out.He did tell me he was a foreman at the jaguar bodyshop in Brown Lane were they built the things,he did say my car was original because of the terrible and inconsistent door gaps,he said basically the cars were thrown together to get them out the door and sold,no underseal or any under body protection and only painted were it showed!! not surprising most dissolved away, very interesting guy to talk and listen too.
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Post by michael on Oct 30, 2015 18:53:34 GMT 1
My daily driver's insurance renews on the 2nd November. Because of this I had to pay IPT (Insurance Premium Tax) of 9.5% rather than 6%. And this is from a party of allegedly low tax!
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Post by michael on Dec 11, 2015 14:33:10 GMT 1
Got my first Christmas meal next week. On the menu "brussels sprouts in chestnut butter", last year it was "with pancetta". I hate the bl**dy things even if they are done in a chefy style. The other thing I hate is the carrot/parsnip mash as I can't stand parsnips. I would be more than happy with carrots, broccoli and green beans...
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Post by colin on Feb 28, 2016 23:58:13 GMT 1
Went to Tesco opticians for my annual test only to be told I need new even more powerful specs... So, got 2 for one, total cost £60, shoved 'em in my back pocket, forgot about them, jumped into the Zephyr and hey presto squashed them!!!! What the hell is going on??? Still, I did manage to salvage one pair out of the 2, my missus quipped and said "should have gone to specsavers.....on the bus!!!"...GRRR!!!
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Post by michael on Mar 1, 2016 14:37:01 GMT 1
Went to Tesco opticians for my annual test only to be told I need new even more powerful specs... So, got 2 for one, total cost £60, shoved 'em in my back pocket, forgot about them, jumped into the Zephyr and hey presto squashed them!!!! What the hell is going on??? Still, I did manage to salvage one pair out of the 2, my missus quipped and said "should have gone to specsavers.....on the bus!!!"...GRRR!!! I know where are coming from! I have needed reading glasses for the past ten years. They broke a few months ago and I took them in for repair. The not cheap repair lasted two weeks and a second (free) attempt two days. I then dug out a spare spare that I brought in a supermarket a few years ago. A couple of days later one of the lenses fell out. I wasn't near home and brought another pair at a chemist. Last weeend they fell in half! I have now got a more expensive pair from Boots and they seem better made. Must book an eye test soon... What really annoys me is the poor quality of the various glasses. I would expect any to last a minuumun of two+ years without problem. It's probably the result of importing carp at the cost of UK manufacturing!
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Post by michael on Apr 8, 2016 18:07:50 GMT 1
Not a lot of grumbling so far this year but am getting grumpy today. I want a bit of work done on my house and am trying to get quotes. First two companies I tried to contact no longer exist (why aren't their details and webpages removed from the internet) and the third must have thought I was a lottery winner! Grrr...
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Post by colin on Apr 12, 2016 19:10:06 GMT 1
Well I've got a grumble.....Just been to Holland for work, did a 5 day tour of the usual sights, stayed in a good 4 star hotel, grub good, beer good, and a very warm welcome from the Dutch folks, also the motorway network is top notch, far better maintained than our rutted, potholed shambles that I seem to remember were quite good a long time ago, I've done hell of a mileage all over Europe driving coaches in recent years and have noticed GB is becoming a second rate dump, so why is it they all want to come here??? NHS and handouts I suppose!!!GRRRR!!!!P.S. no malice meant.....
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Post by Joe on Apr 12, 2016 21:15:53 GMT 1
Well I've got a grumble.....Just been to Holland for work, did a 5 day tour of the usual sights, stayed in a good 4 star hotel, grub good, beer good, and a very warm welcome from the Dutch folks, also the motorway network is top notch, far better maintained than our rutted, potholed shambles that I seem to remember were quite good a long time ago, I've done hell of a mileage all over Europe driving coaches in recent years and have noticed GB is becoming a second rate dump, so why is it they all want to come here??? NHS and handouts I suppose!!!GRRRR!!!!P.S. no malice meant..... Holland is a fantastic place in many ways. I have been there a few times and always amazed how everything works so well and how freindly the people are. The main difference is that they have a lot higher tax than ours and that's the rub. We have always moaned about how much tax we pay and how little we get for it.
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Post by cardaft on May 1, 2016 10:17:05 GMT 1
Quick moan: was forced to accompany 'The Boss' to the local supermarket yesterday, I was given the job of picking the cereal,so there I am looking down these rows of product, so after walking up and down a few times I thought great, The Honey Monster = Sugar Puffs,right? Oh no it dosent , its now honey puffs or something like that, anyway bought the things and just tried them, blood horrible, almost savory, the Sugar Police have got to them. Why is my choice being limited ?, I'm quite capable of deciding for myself if I'm consuming to much salt or sugar, why is the government legislating this, have they not got more important things to do.I demand they stop interfering with my food, anyway off to put more sugar in my puffs!!
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Post by colin on May 1, 2016 20:55:11 GMT 1
Well, at least you found some "cereal".....!!! Whenever I go to one of those huge out of town Arkwright corner shops I can't find a bloody thing!! It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack, and I end up getting pissed off and go home empty handed and get remarks like "good god man what's wrong with you??" from the long haired sargent-major!!! And yes I too am quite capable of deciding what I want to eat and wether or not it's bad for me or not, just wish all these do-gooder clowns would disappear up their own backsides!! Best place for 'em....GRRRR...
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